Improving the performance of youth on the labour market is a crucial challenge in OECD countries facing persistent youth unemployment. The labour market is becoming more and more selective and the lack of relevant skills brings a higher risk of unemployment.

Whatever the level of diploma, first experiences on the labour market have a profound influence on later working life. Getting off to a good start facilitates integration, while a failure can be difficult to make up. Efforts will require co-coordinated policies to bring education system closer to the labour market, to help disadvantaged young people to find a job or participate in a training course and to facilitate the hiring of young people by firms. OECD has launched a series of reports in 16 countries including the United Kingdom. Each report contains a survey of the main barriers to employment for young people and an assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of existing measures to improve the transition from school to work.